1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting arrangement for supporting one or more outboard motors on a boat and to means for supporting such motor or motors in two different positions, one of which being for navigation through shallow waters, and the other for navigation in relatively deep waters.
2. Prior Art
It has been recognized that for operating a boat such as a fishing boat in very shallow water, the propeller axis should preferably be at a point no lower than the bottom of the boat. However, navigation of the boat in deeper waters usually has the propeller located well below the bottom of the boat. If a propeller mounted for high speed in deep water is driven at slow speeds, cavitation occurs.
It is also known that a single motor may be mounted for one or the other of the above operations by employing a two-piece transom hinged for movement about a horizontal axis where the upper half may be folded back on the lower half. The motor can then be either mounted on the upper half when not folded back or hung on the folded transom. This provides a positioning of the propeller in one of two positions, one for slow speed operation and one for high speed operation. It is not a convenient arrangement, however, since it is difficult to dismount the motor from the transom and lift it either to bring the transom into its folded back position or in its extended upright position.